102 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



Ai-EiL 6, 1918. 



COTTON. 



SEA ISLAND COTTON MARKET. 



The report of Messrs. Henry W. Frost Ac Co., on 

 Sea Island cotton in the Southern States, for the week 

 ended March 9, 191<s, is as follows: — 



ISLANDS. There has been some inquiry, but only 

 a limited demand for Fine to Fully Fine, yet notwithstanding 

 tliis, Factors continue very firm in their views, refusing to 

 make any cnncessions to sell. The small sales reported con- 

 sisted of Fine to Fully Fine, slightly offin preparation. We 

 can buy full quality at our quotations, and can make satis- 

 factory shipments at prices relatively cheaper than Georgias 

 and Floridas. 



We quote, viz:— 



Extra Fine 7.5c. to 80c = 77c. to 82c c.i.f. 



Fine to Fully Fine 73c. to 73ic. = 75c. to 75|c. c.i.f. 

 Fine to Fully Fine, off in preparation, 70c. to 71c. = 72c. 



to 73c. c.i.f. 

 Fine to Fully Fine, .stained, 65c. to 68c. = 67c. to 70c c.i.f. 



GEOKGIAS AND FLORIDAS. The market in Savannah has 

 been very quiet, with the limited offerings firmly held. 

 During the past few weeks 300 to 400 bales have been 

 bought on account of , the Northern Mills, on a basis of average 

 Extra Choice at 73c. These purchases were made partly 

 in the interior markets. 



The stock of the better grades, Extra Choice and Fancy, 

 is small, especially so, Fancy, and they are held at Ic. 

 advance over average E.Ktra Choice. It would be difticult to 

 fill orders satisfactorily for Fancy only. 



The holders of the unsold stock still think that the 

 cotton will be required in time, and that the spinners will 

 pay full prices. 



We quote, viz:. — 



Extra Choice and Fancy 74c = 7Cc. c.i.f. 

 Average Extra Choice 73c = 75c. c.i.f. 

 Choice 72c = 74c. c.i.f. 



The exports from Savannah for the week have been, to 

 Liverpool 50 bales, to Northern Mills 390 bales, and from 

 Jacksonville, nil. 



THE NEED FOR MORE COTTON. 



An article in Tiu 'I'ii/us Trade Snpphmciil, February 

 1916, on the cotton industry, remarks that spinners and 

 manufacturers of cotton goods regard with suspicion estimates 

 of cotton crops. Crop estimates could be made however on 

 a scientific ba.--is so as to be trustworthy, and if they were so 

 made they would have a steadying inlhicnco on the price of 

 cotton all the year round, and would be of real benefit both 

 to growers and consumers. The article referred to goes on 

 to say that aa far as can be ascertained, there will be enough 

 cotton to meet all the demands of this season, and to Ii-ave 

 a comfortable margin to be carried into the ne.\t season. For 

 one thing, consumption i-- on a low scale owing to the abnor- 

 mal prices; and for another, merchants are prepared to work 

 with smaller stocks than usual. 



That the supplies of the law material are sufficient to 

 meet the requirements of this season .seem to be generally 

 admitted. That the present supply is not within measurable 



distance of the needs of the not distant future seems also to 

 be certain. When the fantastic prices which the war has 

 brought into existence depart, the demand for cotton goods 

 is bound to be enormously increased. One fact which the 

 war has erai)hasized is that articles of clothing made of cotton 

 are more useful than was realized before, and are compara- 

 tively cheap. It is inevitable, therefore, that when peace is 

 declared there will be a great demand for them. 



At the present time the Lancashire industry is far too 

 dependent upon the United States for its supply of cotton. 

 Cotton supplies , have been, as we know, short for several 

 seasons. Cotton prices have advanced to about four times 

 as much as they were at the beginning of the war. Then 

 there is the fact to be reckoned with that whereas seven years 

 ago American cotton mills were only consuming ."?() per cent, 

 of the American cotton crop, last year these mills consumed 

 54 per cent. And the proportion is increasing year by year. 

 The Lancashire industry has to face the prospect of the 

 American mills consuming, all the product of the American 

 cotton fields. IJence the supreme necessity of endeavouring 

 to secure supplies grown in the British Empire. 



AVOCADO PEARS AS FOOD AND AS 

 A SOURCE OF OIL. 



In spite of the prejudice among Americans against 

 food which they are not accustomed to eat, the avocado has 

 made rapid strides towards popularity in the United States, 

 as is evidenced by its increased cultivation in California and 

 Florida. In an article by Mr. Wilson Popenoe in the 

 Journal of Heredity, March 1918, on avocados as food in 

 Guatemala, he points out that among the Guatemalan 

 Indians the avocado replaces meat to a very great extent 

 in the dietary of those industrious people. He calls attention 

 to the food value of the fruit as shown by a table of analyses, 

 by Professor Jaffa of the University of California in 

 Bulletin 2j4 of the Agricultural Experiment Station at 

 Berkeley. The results of twenty eight analyses of about 

 twenty-four varieties showed that water was present in the 

 pulp or edible portion of the fruit in percentages varying 

 approximately from 60 to 80. Protein was present in 

 amounts varying from 1'30 to 37 per cent., while the 

 percentage of fat varied from about 10 to .'!0. carbohydrates 

 being present in varying quantities from .'i'G9 to l(;i7 

 per cent. Finally the anifiunt of ash varied from '60 to I 93 

 per cent. Professor Jaffa, in his explanation of these 

 analyses, points out that the total dry matter in the edible 

 portion of the fruit is greater in the avocado than in any 

 other fresh fruit, the nearest approach being the banana, 

 which contains about 25 per cent, as compared with the 

 average 30 per cent, of the avocado. The protein content 

 is also high for a fresh fruit, approaching closely that of 

 some dried fruits in common usr, such as dates and raisins. 

 Profes.sor Jaffa says: 'so far as protein and ash in fresh fruits 

 are concerned, the avocado stands at the head of the list, 

 and with reference to carliohydrates, contains on an average 

 fully 50 per cent, of that found in many other fresh fruits. 

 These facts alone would warrant due consideration being 

 given to the valu^ of the avocado as a fresh fruit. The 

 chief value of the avocado as food, however, is due to its 

 high content of fat. This varies, as is shown by the analyses, 

 from a minimum of 98 to a maximum of •JliJ, with an 

 average of 201.' 



As to the caloric or eDergy-i)roducing value of the 

 avocado, 1 Bb. of the pulp represents about 1,000 calories on 

 an average, corresponding to about 75 per cent, of the fuel 



